We’re used to Rico’s lack of direction on MTV’s new series Washington Heights. But, he may have used up his free passes on Wednesday’s episode. And Celebuzz has an exclusive sneak peek.

We’ve all been there when an argument about something isn’t really about what it’s about. There’s usually something bigger in the mix. That’s what happens on the next episode of Washington Heights.

Rico and brother Fred start talking about how women fit into the picture and then it escalates into a shouting match. But, the deeper problem here is Rico’s lack of direction, right?

Watch our exclusive sneak peek above.

Washington Heights airs Wednesdays at 10PM on MTV.

Do you think Rico knows what he’s talking about? Or, is it time for him to stop spouting off about things he doesn’t know?

From the network that gave us The Hills and Jersey Shore comes a show unlike any of its predecessors. Sure, MTV’s Washington Heights follows a similar reality TV formula – documenting six friends who were born and raised in Manhattan’s northern-most neighborhood – but unlike Lauren Conrad and Co., J.P. and his friends have heart, and they wear it almost as proudly as they wear their love of the Heights.

For the cast of Washington Heights, this isn’t just a place where they live: it’s a culture, it’s a lifestyle, and most importantly, it’s home. J.P. and his friends – Reyna, Frankie, Ludwin, Fred, Rico, Jimmy and Taylor – grew up in the Heights, just a few blocks away from one another. An aspiring rapper, J.P. (who goes by the moniker Audubon) conceived the idea for the docu-series three year prior to production.

“New York City has never been portrayed this real or this hard,” J.P. told Celebuzz. “And it’s not HBO. It’s not a movie. There were shows that glamorized the sex of the city, the clothes and the clubs, but our show is about culture. That’s what makes it completely different. There’s never been this much culture on TV before.”

“The show hasn’t taken off, and I feel like we’ve already made history just by being an all-Hispanic cast on television,” he added. “And three out of the four creators are Hispanic. I’m proud of us already!”

However, the docu-series does fall victim to a few reality show tropes. In the first episode, and explosive fright between Reyna and Eliza fractures the group for a majority of the season.

“It’s like when you’re walking down the street and there’s always a little Chihuahua barking at the Pit-bull,” Rico joked of Reyna’s feisty attitude.

The two have yet to resolve their differences. (“Sometimes, she has that face and I just want to slap her,” said Reyna.) But according to the cast, that’s not indicative of the entire series.

“That’s the first and last time a big fight happened between us,” said J.P. “That messed up everything. I wasn’t talking to Jimmy for, like, four months after that fight. That fight sucked. I hate reliving that moment, but things happen… I’m glad we get that out of the way in the first episode so by the end of the season, people will have forgotten about it. That’s not what the show is about.

Instead, the series aims to highlight the Heights the way J.P. and his friends see it: as a cultual Mecca.

“It’s been a long time coming,” said Frankie, a performance poet. “People are usually inspired by people from similar walks of life, so I can’t wait for people to see what inspires us because hopefully, it will inspire them.”

“We motivate each other to do better,” added Fred.

Before joining the cast, Fred, now an aspiring fashion designer, was working in real estate – and admittedly, he was miserable.

“I wasn’t chasing my dreams, I was chasing what my parents wanted me to do,” he said. “And when I would hang out with J.P. or even Ludwin, who was like, ‘All I want to do is paint,’ I realized that I should be going after my dreams the same way they were going after theirs.”

“I just couldn’t see myself in a retail store or at a restaurant,” added Reyna, an aspiring singer. “I want to wake up loving what I’m doing.”

“That’s why I recently quit my job,” laughed Fred.

In part, that’s the appeal of Washington Heights. It follows a group of optimistic young people as they aspire for something greater than their circumstances — no alcohol-induced fights, sloppy hook-ups or smush rooms necessary. In the Heights, these kids struggle with real problems. Jimmy nearly ended his promising baseball career selling drugs after his father was sent to prison; Ludwin feels suffocated by his girlfriend’s insecurities; and J.P. see’s his mother’s financial struggles first-hand.

Meanwhile, MTV’s other midseason reality series Buckwild – which follows a group of wild friends in West Virginia – is more of the same from the network that turned GTL into a household name. Some might wonder if the artistic renaissance represented in Washington Heights could also lead to a cultural shift for MTV; one could only hope.

“You’re going to feel like you’re watching friends,” said J.P. “You’re not going to feel like you’re watching these people that you can’t identify with. You won’t be like, ‘Who the hell are these people?’”

Washington Heights premieres Wednesday, January 9 at 10PM EST on MTV. Will you be tuning in? Tell us why or why not in the comments!

MTV is giving its viewers a taste of New York City hustle with its new docu-series Washington Heights.

Centered on a group of nine friends born and raised in “one of New York City’s last true neighborhoods,” Washington Heights combines the real-life grittiness of MTV’s True Life with the must-watch drama of The Hills.

The new MTV docu-series will take viewers inside the lives of ambitious, hardworking Millennials who have to hustle for everything they achieve — and they really have to earn it.

In the Heights, nothing is given to them for free.

Together, this compelling group of friends will attempt to navigate the obstacles that stand in the way of their individual pursuits, from fashion and music to baseball and poetry.

Here’s what you need to know about the friends at the center of MTV’s Washington Heights: 

JP (a.k.a. Audubon): He’s the glue that holds this tight-knit group of friends together. When he’s not making sure his friends stay on track , he’s chasing his own goal of making it big in hip-hop. However, he fears he’ll have to give up his dreams to help his mother cover the rent.

Reyna: She’s a fiery diva who’s not afraid to stand up for herself. While she may be confrontational, this aspiring singer always has her friends’ backs. If you mess with her friends, you mess with her.

Frankie: She might be little, but she’s got a big personality. She acts tough, but this boy-crazy academic expresses her sensitivity and struggles through poetry, which she writes and performs. Frankie wants to become an English professor, but will she let her feelings for Ludwin get in the way of perusing her dreams?

Ludwin: This artist marches to the beat of his own drum, which is probably why he and Frankie share a mutual attraction. But with everything going on in his life, can he step up and be everything she needs in a boyfriend?

Jimmy: He’s an aspiring professional baseball player against staggering odds. His father is finishing a seven-year stint in prison, and with his mother out of the picture as well, Jimmy has been on his own since he was 16. To make matters worse, his girlfriend Eliza is an outsider in the group, which causes major drama.

Eliza: Hailing from a much different life in New Jersey, this aspiring fashion designer is the outsider of the group. She wants nothing but the best for her boyfriend Jimmy, but issues with Reyna cause a major rift in the group. Ultimately, Jimmy will have to decide: His girlfriend or his friends?

Rico: As JP’s best friend, he’s always been there to support his friend’s music career. But now it’s time to start focussing on his own future. He’s the oldest sibling, and his family needs him to step up his game, become a man, and contribute.

Fred: Rico’s little brother is the complete opposite of his aimless older sibling. Fred is always hustling and is doing all he can to make it in the fashion industry.

Taylor: She might look like a preppy blond cheerleader, but Taylor rocks an off-beat sense of style and a different perspective on what goes on with her crew of friends.